IS THE EXISTENCE OF ROMANI POLITICAL PARTIES A SOLUTION FOR SUCCESS OF ROMA POLITICAL PARTICIPATION?

" ... Given the limited response of many mainstream political parties, new Roma political groupings could provide an effective means to promote Roma identity while articulating and advancing their human rights through political representation. However, no Roma-based political parties have achieved measurable success. In addition, as with all forms of identity politics, there is a risk that Roma issues could become marginalised, or that Roma parties would not fully reflect the diversity of views within their community. The Roma parties’ failure to attract a substantial percentage of the Roma vote during elections indicates that Roma do not necessarily vote as a bloc, nor do they necessarily support the ethnic-based parties and candidates who claim to represent them..." - ERIO Fact Sheet "Political Participation of Roma, Traveller and Sinti communities" (May 2007).

Is the existence of Romani political parties a solution for success of Roma political participation?

Yes, because... Because it is important

 

It is important to mime everything gadje do all the more when they fail. Every single mechanism that they invented and which did not work for them has to be implemented by Roma (or Milano, as you like it). Runing for elections as a leader is a positive evolution for a dealer. This is called INTEGRATION. At the end of the day, we can have our own liars, instead of supporting gadje ones.

Even so having "own liars" is not the goal for Roma political activists, the activity of "own party" improves the self-reliability of Roma community in political realm. Instead of negative "cases" better to think about own honest and trusted leaders!

 
 

Is the existence of Romani political parties a solution for success of Roma political participation?

 

No, because... Roma voters favour mainstream parties over their own

This does not negate the use of having parties that represent the Roma. Having any kind of representation for minorities politically can be useful. It means having organisations that are dedicated to bringing up issues that affect the Roma politically and not just from a campaign group's angle. The success of these parties does not need to be large as if they are truly successful they would take away the need for Roma political parties as the Roma would be fully integrated and only have the same issues and problems as any other citizen of that country. They simply need to be big enough to provide a voice.

 

Roma views of mainstream parties are generally negative. Typically expressed concerns are that mainstream parties manipulate the Roma vote and are dismissive of Roma community problems. While they generally have little trust in politicians, polling and election results indicate that Roma voters favour mainstream parties over their own.

Given the limited response of many mainstream political parties, new Roma political groupings could provide an effective means to promote Roma identity while articulating and advancing their human rights through political representation. However, no Roma-based political parties have achieved measurable success. In addition, as with all forms of identity politics, there is a risk that Roma issues could become marginalised, or that Roma parties would not fully reflect the diversity of views within their community. The Roma parties’ failure to attract a substantial percentage of the Roma vote during elections indicates that Roma do not necessarily vote as a bloc, nor do they necessarily support the ethnic-based parties and candidates who claim to represent them. For example in Bulgaria during the 2005 elections, a Roma party, Euroroma, put forward a list of candidates, but none were elected.

 

Vote on this point: Roma voters favour mainstream parties over their own

Absolutely Yes
Strongly Yes
Mostly Yes
Partially Yes
Neutral
Partially No
Mostly No
Strongly No
Absolutely No

Vote on this debate: Is the existence of Romani political parties a solution for success of Roma political participation?

Absolutely Yes
Strongly Yes
Mostly Yes
Partially Yes
Neutral
Partially No
Mostly No
Strongly No
Absolutely No
22 February 2011